Combination instrument



Aug. 3 1926.

B. H. ANIBAL COMBINATION INSTRUMENT Filed April 22, 1921 Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrica.

BENJAMIN H. ANIBAI F IIIGHLANI) PARK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETItOIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

COMBINATION INSTRUMENT.

Application filed April 22, 1921. Serialffl'o. 463,623.

The invention relates to indicating devices and more particularly to devices of especial utility in connection with automobiles and in which are combined a'plurality of indi-v eating mechanisms adapted to disclose the working conditions of various elements of the automobile ower plant.

The principal object of the invention is to provide in a single article of manufacture a series of indicators compactly'arranged and conveniently mounted for observation by the operator.

A further object assemble e of indicating instruments, at a common ocation and under a single faceplate, means for disclosing to the operator the condition of all the working parts to which attention should be frequently directed.

A further object is to combine the said indicating instruments in a single casing suitably formed for mounting upon an instrument board, whereby the arrangement of the instruments may be simplified and their 3 manufacture and assembly may be facilitated. I

With the above and other objects in view as will appear more fully from the following description,

features of novelty herein disclosed, together with such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of my invention,

Fig. .1 is a front elevation of an instrument comprising a plurality of pressure gages and an ammeter; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view online 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the instrument mounted upon a dash or instrument board; and

Fig. 4 is a. detail section showing a varia-' tion in the manner of mounting the instrument.

Referring to the drawing, 5' indicates a supporting frame member in the form of a plate, disk, or casing, which, for convenience of manufacture and assembly and neatness of appearance, is preferably of circular outis to provide in a single the invention comprises the line, being cast or otherwise formed from material adapted to afford the requisite strength. The plate is provided with a plurality of apertures corresponding in number and form to the instruments to be mounted therein, three circular aperturesti, 7 and 8 being shown. The arrangement of these apertures is such as to render the assemblage as compact as possible, and where, as in the embodiment illustrated, three circular apertures for instruments of substantially equal size are required, the centers of the apertures will be situated preferably on radii of the plate 5 spaced at angles of substantially 120 from each other and substantially equidis taut from a central point on the frame. The

plate is of thickness suitable to provide support for the various indicating instrumentsand may be recessed upon the back as at 9 to eliminate unnecessary material, leaving flanges 10 projecting from the rear face around the apertures and the periphery of the plate.

In the trated, two pressure gages 12, 13, are mounted respectively in apertures 6 and 7, and an amineter 14 in the aperture 8. These instruembodiment of the invention illus-' ments are of any usual or suitable construction and detailed description of the structure of the same is deemed unnecessary, inasmuch as such structure forms no part of the present invention. The pressure gages 12 and 1.3 may be connected by suitable conduits leading from the pipe connections 15, 16, respectively to pressure means for maintaining a fuel supply to the engine and to a lubricating oil pump, while the ammeter 14 will be connected in the usual manner through posts 17, 17', to the storage battery and electrical system supplied thereby. The instruments 12, 13, 14, may be held in the apertures mspectively by plates or brackets 18, 19, 20, which latter are attached to the backs of the instrument casings and secured the frame member 5 be placed upon the face plate to indicate the nature of the instruments or other data. The instruments are so positioned that their dials or indicating devices to be observed, and which are usually offset from the centers of the instrument casings, are arranged in proximity to each other, that is, the dials are brought as near as possible to the center of the supporting plate or frame 5. By reason of this arrangement it is possible to reduce to a minimum the diameter of the transparent cover 24 necessary to provide for the exposure of all the dials under a single cover, and also to bring the pointers or other indicating devices into such close proximity that the operation of all may be observed almost at a glance. The combined instrument may be mounted upon an instrument board or dash 30 by means shown in Fig. 3 comprising a band 31 fitting over the exterior of the outer flange 10 of the plate 5 and against the rearward face of head 28. Ears 32 mounted upon the band 31 support washers 33 through which extend J-bolts 34 the hooked ends of which engage slots in brackets 35 supported upon the rear face of the dash or board 30. By

turning up the wing nuts '36 the band31' may be orced against'the-"bead 28 thereby clamping the frame 5 against the rearward face of the dash.

If desired to mount the combined instrument in cooperative relation to an instrument board aperture of larger size than shown in Fig. 3, the instrument may be inserted from the forward side into an aperture as shown in Fig.- 4, the rearward side of bead 28 resting against the board 30' adjacentto the edges of the aperture, and secured in such position by any suitable means. 'The outer surface of annular plate 25 may be nickeled or otherwise finished so as to present an ornamental appearance with a portion or all of the surface exposed. The construction this provides for mounting the instrumentin apertures of different 'Sizes within the limits as illustrated which will be of advantage either where the apertures have been originally formed without regard to this particular instrument or where it is desirable to cause the exposed portion of the instrument to correspond in size with some other instrument, as a speedometer, in order to present a neat and properly balanced appearance.

It will be noted that the arrangement de scribed wherein the dials are located as near as possible to a common point not only contributes to compactness and neatness of a pearance, but also reduces very material y the area of the face plate and cover, the area necessary for exhibiting the indicating elements bein much less than thatnecessary to house t e measuring instruments. The construction also afiordsa' very material advantage in convenience of assembly and mounting, inasmuch as the assemblage as a whole may be mounted upon an instrument'board with substantially the same case as a single instrument, although, when it is desired to remove or replace a single one of the instruments, the operation may be performed with the greatest facility.

While the structure described provides for the mounting in a single assemblage of any suitable instruments for which such mounting may be advantageously employed, I prefer to associate in the combined instrument measuring 'or indicating devices whose juxtaposition effects. a certain cooperation due to the relation of the instruments to the operation of the power plant of the automobile or other apparatus in connectiun with which the devices are employed. For example, in some types of automobiles, an oil gage and anammeter, in others an oil gage, an ammeter, anda pressure gage to indicate the pressure of air in the fuel tank effecting feed of gasoline to the carbureter, constitute the only instruments whereby are disposed the working conditions of the power plant to which frequent attention of the operator need be directed. By thus grouping the instruments mentioned, it isnot only possible to ascertain at a glance the working conditions of the power plant, but the operator is much "less liable to ignore or overlook an indication of improper functioning than he would he were the mstruments not so associated. It will be understood that various changes in details of construction ma be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not desire to be lim ited to the specific structure described except as required by the language of the appended claims. a

I claim:

1. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening therein, a frame member, said framemember having an offset portion of less diameter than the greatest diameter of the frame member and carrying a transparent cover plate, said portion being adapted to be positioned to be seen through saidopening, the ortion of greater diameter being adapte to bear against the rear of said panel, a plurality of indicating instruments mounted within said frame member, the indicating elements of which are visible through said cover plate, the outer portions of said instruments extending beyond the edges of said opening, and means for securing said frame member in position.

2. The combination with an instrument panel having an aperture therein, of a frame member secured in the rear of said panel and extending beyond the edges of said aperture, a bezel portion extendingfrom said frame member and fitting said aperture, a cover plate in said portion, a plurality of instruments mounted upon said frame member, said instruments having portions situated outside the area of said cover plate but having dial portions so situated as to be exposed within the area of the cover plate.

3. The structure as defined by claim 2, said dials being arcnate in form and having their'convexities projecting toward and in close proximity to each other.

4;. The combination with an instrument panelhaving an opening therein, of a plate secured in the said opening and provided with an aperture, and an instrument mounted on said panel so that the dial thereof may be viewed through said aperture, said instrument having portions extending beyond the edges of the opening in said panel.

5. The combination with an instrument panel having an opening therein, of a plate secured in said opening and provided with a plurality of apertures, instruments mounted on said panel so that the dials may be viewed through said apertures, said instru ments having portions thereof extending be-' yond the edges 'of the opening in said panel. 6. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening therein, an instrument assembly adapted for display through said opening and for removal as a unit therefrom, said assembly comprising a frame member, instruments having individual dials secured to said frame member in a manner to be independently removable therefrom without disturbing said assembly, a face plate arranged tocover said opening, said face plate beingprovided with apertures for the display of said dials and a transparent panel covering said face plate and dials.

7. The combination of an automobile instrument panel having an opening therein, an instrumet assemblyadapted for. display through said opening and for removal as a unit rearwardly thereof, said assembly comprising a frame member, and'instruments secured in said frame member in a manner "to be independently removable therefrom without disturbing the assembly when secured in position on the panel.

8. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening, an instrument assembly having a portion for abutting relation with the rear surface of said panel adjacent said opening, and tension means cooperating with said panel and with said assembly and arranged to clamp said assembly in position, said means being located entirely to the rear of the panel.

9. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening, an instrument assembly having a portion for projection through said opening, and another portion for abutting relation with the rear surface of the assembly, said instrument panel including a pluralityof instruments having dials arranged for inspection through said open ing, portions of said instruments extending beyond the edges of said opening, tension means located entirely to the rear of the panel and cooperating with said panel and with said assembly to hold said parts in position.

10. The combination of an instrument panel having an opening, an instrument assembly having a portion adapted to fit in said opening and center the assembly with respect thereto, and a shoulder portion adapted for en-.

' Sald panel, hook members engaging said keepers, and means on said hook members engaging said assembly to clamp the assembly in position.

12. An instrument supporting frame member providedwithspaced shoulder portions located at difierent distances from the central axis thereof, the innermost portion being adapted for snug engagement with an opening through which it is projected to thereby facilitate the positioning of the frame member in the opening and the outermost portion being adapted to form a stop when the framemember is projected through an opening of larger diameter than the first named opening but of less diameter than the said second named shoulder portion to assist in clamping said frame member in said second named opening when desired, the portion of the frame member between said openings being imperforate and presenting an ornamental appearance.

13. In the combination as defined in claim 12, the edge of said outermost shoulder porsecured to said frame member in a manner 10 lion which engages the opening in said panel to be independently removable therefrom being bevelled to facilitate seating. without disturbing said assembly, a face 14. The combination of an instrument plate arranged to cover said opening, said 5 panel havingian opening therein, an instruface plate being provided with apertures ment assembly adapted for display through for the display of said dials and transparent 15 said opening and for removal as a unittheremeans covering said dials.

from, said assembly comprising a frame In testimony whereof I affix my signature. member, instruments having individual dials BENJAMIN H. ANIBAL. 

